Become a Test Pilot in Pro Safety’s Quality Assurance Program

When it comes to developing a new product, customer participation is critical. That’s why we at Paramount Safety ask customers to trial our products as part of our rigorous testing regime before they go to market – ensuring the end-user’s safety, comfort and ability to work effectively.

However, creating our products takes a lot more than testing. Our quality assurance program begins with identifying a need. Often this is around improving work environments or creating safety gear that exceeds occupational health and safety (OHS) requirements.

Our designs are influenced by our industry experience, scientific knowledge and market research and manufactured with materials best suited to customer needs.

Here’s where you – our customers – come in. We put our products through three rounds of testing and use customer and stakeholder feedback to ensure we end up with the best possible products, only sending them out once we’re sure we’ve got it right.

Here we explore what it means to become a Product Test Pilot and how you can get involved:

Lab and Field Trials:

Our product development manager, Brad Rodgers explained that the company seeks: “real people in real situations to trial products and determine if they are good enough to bring to market. We want to ensure it will meet and exceed the needs that we originally identified”.

During these trials, Test Pilots are asked to evaluate the equipment’s effectiveness, aesthetics, fit and level of comfort.

For example poorly fitted gloves – whether too loose or too tight – can increase the amount of force required to perform a task and limit the wearer’s control, increasing the risk of conditions such as tendonitis. Ill-fitting gloves can also reduce the wearer’s dexterity and grip strength, create a potential catching hazard and increase sweating. This results in decreased use of the gloves and increases the risk of incidents and injuries.

“The end user is our ultimate customer, so feedback from them is critical,” Rodgers said.

Research and Development:

Before products are ready for testing they are subjected to the scrutiny of our research and development team. Products are also tested for compliance to Australian and New Zealand (NS/NZS) Standards by independent National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) laboratories. Test results are then submitted to a Benchmark or SAI certification body for appropriate Standards Certification.